I spent Saturday night relaxing at Highlands Hammock State Park with lots of other people, listening to the songs of the California Toe Jam Band. The weather was perfect (if not a bit too warm), the food was plentiful, and my $10 in raffle tickets supported someone else winning the 50/50 prize. It was a nice way to pass the evening, far from the crowds and lines at every store in my Christmas shopping lineup. My mother recently asked me what I want for Christmas. I think I was much easier to shop for as a kid. I knew what I wanted. I went meticulously through the Sears Wishbook, making a list for Santa, complete with catalog page numbers, item numbers, and prices. Give me a talking G.I. Joe with Kung Fu Grip, a Haunted Mansion 3-D board game, some books, candy to fill the stocking...and, oh, you can keep the underwear and socks. ...more

December 10, 2007

Military life during the holidays can be especially difficult. The Base Exchange, also known as the B/X, is there to at least make it a little bit cheaper. ...more

December 8, 2007

Each holiday season, a couple of hard-to-find toys send parents hunting from store to store. And each season, they're soon forgotten: Has your Elmo gotten any tickles lately? ...more

November 21, 2007

The holiday shopping season may be slower for Florida merchants than in previous years, but retailers are planning to use sales to lure buyers and are still expecting to see a small uptick over last year. ...more

November 9, 2007

SEBRING — It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and it's barely November. Decorations hang in the stores, commercials advertise the latest toys and Santa Claus even made his first appearance of the season at Wal-Mart on Saturday. Frances Williams and her brother Ron Sykes spent Monday morning shopping for trimmings for their Christmas tree. "We wanted to buy everything while it's still in stock," Williams said, as she loaded blue ornaments into her shopping cart. "They have it out, so why not get it and avoid the rush … But we won't put up the tree until after Thanksgiving." ...more

November 6, 2007